Reminder of Her 'New Status'

The city streets were alive with evening traffic, and Toy felt each pair of eyes that lingered on her exposed form. Some people chuckled, their expressions mocking, while others sneered or ignored her as if she were nothing more than an unfortunate stray.

When they reached the restaurant—a place Toy and Bill used to visit as friends—Toy saw a sign at the entrance forbidding entry to subhumans. Her collar marked her status unmistakably. Bill stopped before the guard at the door, flashing him a smile as he pointed at Toy’s collar.

“She’s with me. You don’t have to worry; she knows how to behave,” he said with a smug look.

The guard eyed Toy with disgust, barely concealing his disdain. “She stays outside. No subhumans are allowed inside, even collared.”

Bill nodded, shrugging as he looked back at Toy, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Guess you’ll have to wait out here with the others,” he said, leading her to a nearby alley where several other subhumans sat in silence, heads down, in clothing as ragged and minimal as hers.

Toy glanced at the other subhumans, noting their dull, submissive expressions and the torn attire that barely provided them any dignity. A sinking realization hit her—this was her life now, stripped of identity and humanity, **** to wait in the shadows as if she were nothing more than a creature at the mercy of others.

Hours passed as the evening grew colder. Toy hugged her knees to her chest, feeling the rough material of her outfit rub against her skin. The collar around her neck seemed to weigh her down, a constant reminder that she was now property, marked and restrained.

Finally, Bill emerged from the restaurant, his expression casual as he walked over and ruffled her hair, a dismissive pat that made her feel even smaller.

“Come on, Toy,” he said, as if calling a dog. “I hope tonight helped you understand your place a bit better.”

Toy followed behind him, her thoughts swirling. Bill had made his intentions painfully clear, and she couldn’t deny that her own sense of self was fading under the weight of her new status. Yet, a small part of her, buried beneath the layers of humiliation and confusion, began to stir with a growing need to resist, to find some way to reclaim a sliver of her former self.